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Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt is a treat at Atlas Park

One of the treats offered at The Shops at Atlas Parks in Glendale is Menchie’s, a whimsy, self-serving frozen yogurt shop.

Menchie’s opened its first store in Valley Village, a suburban community of Los Angeles, California, on May 15, 2007. In 2010, Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt was recognized as the #1 fastest growing food franchise in the United States. Today the business has become the largest self-serve frozen yogurt franchise in the world.

Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt currently serves smiles in more than 540 locations around the world, with stores in development throughout the U.S.A., Canada, Puerto Rico, England, South Africa, Kuwait, Bahrain, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Guatemala, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, India, China, and Japan.

The Atlas Park location is the only Menchie’s located in Queens.

The owners of the Glendale location are three local sisters. Wanting to work together for some time, they considered various investment opportunities before deciding to do something that could be beneficial for both business and the community.

They opened up shop in October 2016 as a way to provide treats and an enjoyable experience for families.

“We have individual careers and kids, but we are very close and we wanted to try something together that would make sense and be beautiful,” a co-owner said. “We looked at a bunch of different opportunities, and after taking a look at the business model as well as the charitable work that the brand does, it made sense for us.”

“The people who come to our stores aren’t customers, they are our guests,” she added. “We make it our number one priority to have them feel welcome because we want them to come back.”

The quality of the products sets it apart from other ice cream or frozen yogurt shops in the area.

What makes Menchie’s so unique is their custom recipes. Every few weeks, the flavors are rotated so customers can always try something new. The frozen yogurt at Menchie’s only uses natural flavors including real cake, cookies, spices, fruits, and nuts.

Additionally, the entire line of frozen yogurt is certified Kosher by KSA and has been awarded the live and active culture seal by the National Yogurt Association. Vegan and gluten-free options are also available.

There’s a lot of research development that goes into creating a top-quality flavor. Some of the current flavors at Menchie’s at Atlas Park includes Creamy Country Vanilla, Takes the Cake Batter, Ice Cream Sandwich, Dole Whip Pineapple Sorbet and Vanilla Snow.

They also offer frozen yogurt cakes, including custom cakes with photos.

At local events, such as the movie screenings at Atlas Park, the shop’s Menchie’s character makes an appearance for the children in attendance.

“We try to get the kids engaged, have them smile and make it a fun experience for them,” another co-owner said. “We also like to bring our own kids in so they could participate too.”

Giving back to the community is especially important to the owners. They’ve participated in several fundraisers, including a partnership with the American Heart Association where they donated a portion of their profits to the organization for a month as well as encouraged patrons to donate. Additionally, they raised funds for Operation Smile, a nonprofit that provides medical care and surgery for children facing facial deformities such as cleft palate and cleft lip.

The look and feel of Menchie’s creates an inviting and jolly atmosphere. Bright colors occupy the store while dozens of toppings allow guests to be as creative as they want to be. The shop encourages guests to take photos of their creations. Some are selected and displayed across the store’s social media. Guests can use the #MenchiesatAtlasPark to show off their fro-yo. Menchie’s at Atlas Park can be found at @MenchiesAtlas on Facebook.

“It’s quality frozen yogurt and we’re here for the community trying to make a positive difference,” they said. “There’s not many places where you can go with kids, but to be able to come to a fun place where the kids can take their own frozen yogurt and build their own sundae with toppings. There’s something for everyone.”